Microfilm at PANB:
PRO SERIES 2 - 1973 AO13. Exchequer & Audit Dept.,
American Loyalist Claims Series II, 1776-1831

[P.106]

To the Honorable Thomas Dundas and Jeremiah Pemberton, Esquires, two of the Commissioners appointed by Act of Parliament for inquiring into the losses and Services of the American Loyalists.

The Memorial of Peter Gaynor late of Newport in the Province of Rhode Island now of the City of Saint John in the Province of New Brunswick a Blockmaker.

Humbly Showeth

That your Memorialist previous to the late unhappy war in America resided in the Town of Newport in the Province of Rhode Island.

That he has ever been firm and steadily attached to His Majesty's Person and Government by which he became obnoxious to the leaders of the Rebellion in the Country where he lived.

That he remained at Newport [until?] The British Army under the Command of General Sir Henry Clinton took possession of that place in the month of December 1776.

That your Memorialist was possessed of a House and a Workshop in the said Town of Newport. The House had been occupied by the American Army and somewhat injured by them, and after the British Army came there the troops took possession of that as well as the Shop and occupied the same until both were totally destroyed, the value of which is set forth in a Schedule hereunto annexed, together with your Memorialist's tools which were plundered from him by the Sailors belonging to the British Transports lying in the Harbour of Newport, and also a quantity of lignum vitae wood which your Memorialist was obliged to leave behind him when he left Newport.

That upon the Evacuation of Newport by the British Army in October 1779 your Memorialist was prevailed upon by some of his friends /being an old infirm man/ to remain behind supposing from that circumstance he would not be mollested by the Americans, but that shortly after [###] they took possession of the place your Memorialist [with?]

met with many and repeated insults from them being once threatened with drowning, and frequently grossly abused with ill language and finally was obliged in the month of October 1781 to leave Rhode Island and take Shelter again within the British lines at New York and the Spring and Summer following his Family were sent after him, where they all remained until the month of June 1783 when your Memorialist with his Family left New York for the then Province of Nova Scotia /which by the late division/ falls in the Province of New Brunswick where he has remained ever since.

Your Memorialist therefore prays that his Case may be taken into your Consideration, in order that your Memorialist may be [#] enabled under your Report to receive such aid or relief as his losses and Services may be found to deserve.

City of Saint John, New Brunswick 27th January, 1786.

In Support of the Facts contained in the within Memorial and your Memorialists Loyalty and loss of Property as is Stated in the Schedule hereunto Annexed he begs leave to refer to William Wanton Esqr Collector of His Majesty's Customs for this Province of New Brunswick who resides at the City of Saint John, Isaac Layton of said City of Saint John, and Walter Chaloner Esqr Clerk of Kings County New Brunswick who resides at Kingston in said County.

Province of New Brunswick )
                                               ) Ss
City of Saint John                 )

Be it Remembered that on this day to wit the, twenty seventh day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Six Personally came and appeared before me ------- Jonathan Odell Esquire one of his Majesty's Council for the said Province Peter Gaynor late of Newport in the Province of Rhode Island but now of the City of Saint John in the Province of New Brunswick Blockmaker who being duly Sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God deposeth and saith that he resided in this City of Saint John (then called Parr Town) from the fifteenth day of July 1783 to the Twenty fifth day of March 1784. That some time after his Arrival in this Province from New York which was in the month of June 1783 he was informed of an Act of Parliament having passed for the purpose of enquiring into the losses and Services of the American Loyalists, but he the Deponent never saw the said Act nor did he ever hear particularly from any person what particular mode was pointed out by the said Act for persons to make their Claim. That he this Deponent knowing his Claim was but small and conceiving it would be necessary for him to go to England to put it in and there support it and he the Deponent being old and infirm [#] could not think of undertaking such a Voyage at that time gave up the thoughts of it, and that now being informed of Commissioners being arrived at Halifax in Nova Scotia for the purpose of investigating the Claims of the Loyalists in this Country he the Deponent conceives under all the Circumstances of his Situation that his Claim may now be taken under their consideration.

Sworn the 27th day of January 1786 Before

An Estimate of the estate of Peter Gaynor late of New Port in the Province of Rhode Island but now of the City of Saint John in the Province of New Brunswick Blockmaker Viz: